A Shining Spark
by ChloeBee AlexisPrime
Summary: AU G1 - Ratchet cannot be sparked. Ironhide had always wanted a kid. End of conversation. Except, on one cool evening on Cybertron, taking a simple shortcut home turfs up an amazing discovery... one that will change their sparks forever. All it takes is a shining spark to change a mech.
1. Street Child

**A/N: This is a gift I shall gladly give to my best friend, AlexisPrime. I thought it was high time someone repaid her for all her hard work and her amazing stories that all defy a fitting description. This is for you, my friend. I hope you like it. :D**

**This is set before the war on G1 Cybertron. And yes, they are bondmates.**

* * *

"Aww c'mon Ratch'! Why not?" Ironhide begged his mate, almost getting down on his knees and begging.

"No, 'Hide, said no before and I'm sayin' it again. No." Ratchet scowled back, smacking his mate upside the helm with a wrench.

"Why not? It'll be great! Won't hafta worry 'bout me all th' time!"

"Because I said no. And I _always_ worry about you Ironhide," Ratchet replied, going back to the current datapad he was reading.

"Ya always said ya wanted a kid, so now's a good opportunity!" For at least three hours now, Ironhide had been nagging at Ratchet to have a sparkling but the tough old medic refused to give in. Ironhide had resorted to threatening to steal and hide all of Ratchet's medical equipment... which ended in several wrenches flying into his helm at warp speed.

"No, Ironhide, it isn't." Ratchet sighed, putting down the datapad and swivelling the chair to where Ironhide was perched on the desk. The mech rubbed his optics before venting deeply.

"I had hoped I would never have to bring this up, Ironhide, but now you want a kid looks like I'll have to." Ratchet started, his tone already beginning to make Ironhide frown.

"Tell me what?"

"Ironhide, I am, to put it plainly, infertile. I can't spark you and I can't be sparked." Ratchet couldn't bring himself to look at his mate, instead choosing to bore holes into the floor. Ironhide just stared, speechless. It was true; while Ratchet could interface, he could never be sparked. Cybertronians carried a type of coding within them, Sire or Carrier. Sire coding allowed one to spark another, while Carrier coding allowed one to carry the sparkling. Except Ratchet had neither. His words were like a stone to Ironhide's spark.

"Y-ya c-can't have k-kids?" Ironhide just managed to get out before collapsing onto their berth, his mind going into overdrive with ways to get around the problem.

"No, Ironhide, I can't." Ratchet sat by his mate, wrapping an arm around his shoulders, "I'm sorry." Ironhide nodded, his chassis and mind dimming at what he had just heard. His own mate couldn't have children? There must be some way around that. Ironhide searched his databanks for anything, his searches coming back with nothing.

"Ironhide? Are you ok?"

"Ah'm... Ah'm ok Ratch'..." he replied numbly, no emotion in his words. Ratchet sighed and switched off the lights, laying back down on the berth next to his mate.

"Come on, 'Hide, get some recharge. We got stuff to be getting on with tomorrow." Ratchet coaxed, gently tugging at the red mech's arm. The weapon specialist just blinked before laying down as well, staring up at the ceiling for hours on end while his mate slept soundly.

* * *

"Nah nah, ya gotta put more _effort _into it kid! Ya gotta _aim_ for th' target, not just shoot willy-nilly at it!" Ironhide barked at the soon-to-be sharpshooter.

"I'm tryin' sir! But the gun's too heavy! I can't line it up!" the youngling whined back, clicking on the safety before dropping the gun to his side. Ironhide growled at the youngling.

"Ya gotta try! Even if ya can't do it, ya still gotta try!" The youngling just huffed and hefted the gun again, his arms protesting at the weight and bulk of the gun. He lined up the infrared dot and fired again at the target, once more missing it. Ironhide rolled his optics and 'assisted' the youngling with his practise. Several more times he aimed and several more he missed. Soon, Ironhide's patience had worn thin and he dismissed the training. He just sat at the side, watching the trainee scamper away to freedom. The weapon specialist sighed and started cleaning up his cannons, his processor still mulling sadly over their conversation last night.

"_I'm infertile, Ironhide, I can't have kids"_

"_You can't?"_

"_No, I'm sorry..."_ The door slammed, bringing Ironhide back from his thoughts; the red mech's optics snapped to the door. Nothing there.

"Hmm..." Ironhide pondered, shrugging and going back to polishing his plasma cannons.

_**BANG!**_

Ironhide jumped again, drawing his own guns at the second noise of the door slamming. Only to be confronted by a white medic. An _unimpressed_ white medic.

"And I suppose that is how you now greet everybot?" Ratchet humphed, pushing the guns away from his face.

"Uh... no... sorry Ratch'..." Ironhide said sheepishly, subspacing the guns again. "Ya got off shift early t'day?"

"Yes, 'Hide, I have. Alpha Trion doesn't need me for the rest of the day so I got the day to myself." Ratchet said, resting his hands on his hips. Seeing Ironhide's face he then said, "Why don't we go for a wander,? Take your mind off things?"

"Hm? Oh... yeah sure... c'mon then..." Ironhide said in a somewhat distracted manner, replacing the cannons back inside their cases and leading Ratchet from the shooting range.

* * *

Ratchet just laughed as his mate stood still, trying to outbalance the saboteur.

"C'mon, mech , ya got no chance o' beatin' me!" Jazz chirped, performing a flip on the tightrope-like wire. Ironhide just growled back, wobbling on his wire.

"Ah'm gonna beat ya Jazz, just ya watch me!" Ironhide said, gritting his denta in concentration. Jazz performed more flips until Ironhide slipped from his wire and fell spectacularly to the ground in a heap of red. Jazz and Ratchet both burst out into fresh fits of laughter, Ratchet moving forward to help his mate to his pedes again and waving Jazz a goodbye.

"Told ya so!" Jazz shouted after the two retreating mechs, laughing and going on his way.

"I hate that kid... so darn annoyin'..." Ironhide grumbled, rubbing his aft and wincing. Ratchet just rolled his optics with a laugh.

"Well why did you agree to that bet then? That's two-hundred credits you owe him now!" Ratchet scolded playfully, rubbing his mate's helm. Ironhide smacked the hand away, glaring at the white medic.

"Yeah but at least it ain't four-hundred! Had I agreed ta that last one, we'd be owin' him exactly that!" Ironhide growled as he walked, shooting Ratchet a glare.

"... Good point..." Ironhide's bad mood then dropped as he started laughing, receiving a playful glare and whack on the arm from Ratchet. Ratchet just shook his head and turned down an alleyway, a shortcut back to their home, making Ironhide run to catch up.

"Whatchya do that fer?" Ironhide asked when he caught up, confusion in his optics. Ratchet just smirked back.

"Shortcut." Was the curt reply. A whine then drew their attention elsewhere, both mechs stopping in their tracks.

"What was that?" Ironhide said quietly. Ratchet only shrugged in response, just moving off to continue down the alley when a short cry drew his attention to a box at the side of the alley. The medic cautiously moved closer to it, preparing himself for whatever may jump out. A whimper told the medic that it was afraid... whatever _it_ was...

"Ironhide!" Ratchet cried out, making the weapon specialist jump.

"What? What is it?" Ironhide said alarmed, rushing to the medic's side then staring as his mate pulled out the form from the box, Ironhide's mouth agape in horror and surprise. In Ratchet's arms was a tiny sparkling, one that had undoubtedly been left on the streets to die. It was obviously a mech, his optics looking up at the red and white mechs in fear and yet love; he was a little red and blue mech with two sky-blue optics that were glistening with tears. His little pedes kicked slightly in Ratchet's hold but his hands gripped the white armour lovingly, his audios pressed to Ratchet's chest as he listened to the medic's sparkbeat. His helm was the same blue as his pedes with two little antennae on the sides. The sparkling's face was lit with fear and a slight smile as he came to remember the sparkbeat of the mech holding him, his optics closing slightly as he began to relax. Ratchet stroked the sparkling's helm and smiled as the little one began to slip into recharge.

"H-How? Wh-what?" Ironhide stammered, trying to comprehend as to why somebot would just leave an innocent sparkling in a dark and dingy alleyway to die.

"I don't know 'Hide..." Ratchet murmured softly as the sparkling recharged in his arms, gently shifting the sparkling to a more comfortable position when a note fell from his back and floated to the floor. He nodded to Ironhide as the red mech picked it up and frowned.

"It don't say who left 'im 'ere..." Ironhide puzzled, re-reading the note again and again.

"'Hide, just read it out already!" Ratchet nearly snapped, his mate doing so.

_To whomever may find this,_

_I entrust to you the guardian-ship of my son. He may be young at this time but he will eventually understand why I left him. I cannot look after him any longer for my brothers would disagree and attempt to dispose of my son, something I could not bear to happen. So I leave it to you, my friend, to look after him for me. He will give you no trouble for his spark is good and pure._

_His name is Optimus._


	2. Settling In

The two mechs just stared at each other and, in turn, at the recharging sparkling.

"Optimus? What kinda name is that?" Ironhide said, re-reading the note _yet_ again. Ratchet just frowned, his frown turning into a smile when the sparkling mumbled something and stirred slightly from his slumber.

"I don't know, 'Hide. But we can't leave him here..." Ratchet said quietly, hoping not to disturb Optimus. It was a miracle that they hadn't found an offline chassis instead of the adorable lively one held in the medic's arms.

"Ah know Ratch', Ah know... but is it right ta take 'im?" Ironhide replied just as quietly. While Optimus had been abandoned and offered to any spark to take and look after, was it right? That was the ultimate question that weighed on both their sparks. "Ah mean, shouldn't we just give 'im into the centres? Or the Enforcers?"

"Ironhide, we cannot leave him here to die. His Creators did, and that would make us no better," Ratchet sighed, readjusting the sparkling to another more comfortable position, "We should at least make sure he's healthy... so yes, he will be coming back with us tonight." Ironhide let a sigh of relief wash over him, guiding Ratchet down the alley towards their home.

* * *

For the seventh time Optimus kicked at Ironhide as he waited almost patiently for Ratchet to return with his Energon. He was cold, hungry and unhappy as he waited in the red mech's arms; the red mech wasn't as warm as the white one, nor was he as fun. Little Optimus whined when he saw Ratchet returning with a small cube in his hands, and squirmed in Ironhide's grasp. Ratchet laughed softly and cradled Optimus' face gently before taking the sparkling into his own arms, freeing a thankful Ironhide. Immediately Optimus reached for the Energon, fuel tanks rumbling desperately.

"Alright, alright, calm down little one," Ratchet cooed, tickling Optimus' abdomen and earning a squeal of laughter from the tiny mech. The medic bit down on the corner of the cube, allowing the pink liquid to ooze graciously out, and tilted it to the sparkling's mouth; Optimus quickly latched on and began draining the Energon, his tanks gurgling happily. Small, undeveloped hands tried holding the cube with little success, instead grabbing Ratchet's finger and squeezing gently. Tired pedes kicked out unintentionally at the white arm, while sleepy optics drooped; Optimus pushed the cube away and yawned, giving Ratchet an opportunity to see the underside of his helm. There were odd little bits on the side of his helm that stopped short of Optimus' faceplates, possibly where another bit of metal slotted in, and a slight catch on each where the metal could be hooked. Ratchet frowned at the oddments of metal before being drawn back to the recharging sparkling in his arms; the medic smiled and placed the Energon cube on the side by the Energon dispenser and carried Optimus to their quarters.

"Ohhh no, ya ain't havin' that li'l thing in our berth!" Ironhide growled when Ratchet went to lay Optimus down next to him on their berth.

"Oh? So do you propose that we leave him to freeze in a box on the floor?" Ratchet said defensively, ignoring Ironhide's protests and nestled the sparkling between him and his mate. Ironhide fell silent and lay down on the other side of the sparkling, still arguing with Ratchet over their bond.

_~ Ya can't have him here! Not on our berth!~_

_~What choice do I have Ironhide? The little one has already recognised my sparkbeat and refuses to be anywhere without me!~_

_~So? Jus' give 'im into one of th' centres!~_

_~Absolutely not! The centres in this area only care for younglings, not sparklings! I will not put Optimus in with younglings!~_

_~So you're calling him by his name now? I thought you didn't want a kid?~ _Ironhide said slyly, knowing he was on the path to keeping Optimus AND having a child to look after.

_~It's not that I don't, it's that I can't. Remember? Anyway, we're stuck with him now. Better sign the forms and whatknot with the Council and then he'll be our kid, not some street kid~ _Ratchet sighed, almost happily, that he could finally care for someone else outside of the Medcentre. Ironhide fell silent at his end of the bond, rolled over to face his mate and now his own sparkling; Optimus stirred in his recharge and kicked out at the red mech, only making him smile.

"He's too sweet..." Ironhide whispered to Ratchet, gently stroking the recharging sparkling's helm. Ratchet sighed again and rolled to face his mate.

"I know, that's why I'm not going to abandon him." Ratchet replied, ignoring Ironhide's heated look, "It doesn't feel right to leave Optimus elsewhere. Good night 'Hide." Ratchet offlined his optics and fell into recharge, peacefully dreaming of what was now his sparkling.

* * *

**~~~~~~ Optimus' POV ~~~~~~**

* * *

**I woke up with a yelp next to my Creators that night, kicking Ratchet and hitting Ironhide as I panicked. I had had a nightmare and didn't know where I was. I thought I was with my Father's brother, the terrible mech that had hated my existance since I first opened my optics. I rolled onto my front and did the only thing I knew how to do successfully; I cried. Ironhide woke with a grumble and Ratchet, with a start. I was immediately scooped up into Ratchet's arms and cradled until my cries died down to whimpers and hiccups.**

"**Hush hush, now little one, you're alright. You're safe now." Ratchet cooed, gently rocking me as I whimpered and cowered in his arms. I quickly latched onto his chest armour and pressed my audio to it, listening. There it was. His sparkbeat. I liked that sound, it made me feel safe and loved, knowing I wouldn't be hurt by these two mechs. They had rescued me from that box when Father had abandoned me. The redder mech sat up and stroked my spinal struts, making me click happily.**

"**Looks like someone had a nightmare..." Ironhide murmured as he stroked me, I chirped as my fuel tanks rumbled, begging for Energon.**

"**And is hungry. Come on, let's grab you some Energon, Optimus," Ratchet said before handing me over to Ironhide and leaving to get Energon. I whined and struggled in Ironhide's arms, wanting Ratchet to hold me again, before I cautiously grabbed Ironhide's chest armour and pressed my audio against him. Another sparkbeat, just like Ratchet's. I listened for as long as I could until Ratchet came back in with some Energon and gently lifted me away from Ironhide. I resettled gladly in Ratchet's arms, reaching for the cube to be mine.**

"**Alright, you, don't worry." Ratchet laughed, biting the corner of the cube again and tipping it to my mouth. Warm pink liquid flooded my mouth and filled my fuel tanks, graciously numbing the rumbling sensation. I tried to tip the cube up so more Energon would spill into my mouth, failing when Ratchet lowered it again and wiped my mouth.**

"**Don't do that, Optimus, you'll upset your tanks." He warned softly, slowly tipping the cube back up to my hungry mouth. This time, I held onto the cube but I couldn't hold it; Ratchet kept if firmly in his grasp, only tipping it up when the flow of Energon into my tanks slowed.**

**Time passed and Ironhide had fallen back into recharge next to Ratchet. I, too, was starting to get sleepy again. I pushed the cube away, hiccuped, and yawned; signalling to Ratchet that I needed to go back to recharge. The whiter mech wiped my mouth and set the half-empty Energon cube on the desk, stroking my helm as my optics drooped closed. I yawned again as Ratchet lay me back down onto their warm berth, then laying down beside me and falling into recharge. I whined but didn't do the same, instead pulling myself onto Ratchet's chassis, curling up and falling asleep again, dreaming peacefully for the rest of the night.**


	3. Sparkling Surprises

It was done. All of the forms and paperwork had been filled out and they had received the all-clear from the Council. Ratchet and Ironhide were now the guardians of little Optimus. At first, Ironhide had been reluctant to even go before the Council of Iacon but, after seeing Ratchet so adamant and receiving a lecture to last a lifetime, he agreed. Upon leaving the Council auditorium, both mechs were ecstatic. Ratchet wearing the biggest smile anyone had seen on him for years and Ironhide carrying Optimus happily.

"See? Now how hard was that, 'Hide?" Ratchet teased his mate, stroking Optimus' helm as they walked, rewarded with a happy chirp from the red and blue sparkling.

"Alright, alright Ratch'... ya made yer point!" Ironhide grumbled, readjusting the squirming sparkling. Ratchet just huffed.

"Give him here." Ratchet said, holding his arms out for Optimus. Ironhide glared at Ratchet and gave Optimus over, but not before muttering, 'Ah'm capable!' Optimus chirped at Ratchet, his face beaming with a smile, and latched onto the white armour with his audio pressed against his new guardian's chest.

"What's he doin'?" Ironhide questioned, rasing an optic ridge at the sparkling clinging to his bondmate's chest.

"Listening to my sparkbeat, 'Hide. Sparklings do it a lot," Ratchet replied, handing a case of credits over to Ironhide for him to carry instead. The Council had decided that, because Optimus had been found by them, Ironhide and Ratchet would receive 100,000 credits to help pay for what the sparkling would need.

"Ah'm still not sure 'bout this Ratch'... Ah mean, what if his real Creators come lookin' for 'im? We'll be in a whole lotta trouble then!" Ironhide said, subspacing the case.

"Ironhide... drop it. You saw that note, so just leave it be." Ratchet sighed, readjusting Optimus again so the sparkling's pede wasn't squashed. The red weapon specialist just grumbled slightly, switching his optics back to the route they were taking, becoming lost in his thoughts until Optimus started squirming in Ratchet's arms and whining.

"S'matter with 'im?"

"He's probably needing Energon, or recharge. Either of the t-!" Ratchet grunted when Optimus' pede collided with his elbow, sending an electric pulse up the medic's arm and making it go numb. But the numbing of Ratchet's arm meant that Optimus wasn't as well supported as before, the sparkling slowly sliding out of Ratchet's arms.

"Ironhide! Catch him!" Ratchet ordered, almost actually dropping the infant. Ironhide quickly complied, sweeping Optimus into his arms and saving the sparkling from injury.

"Gotya!" Ironhide said, cradling the kicking sparkling gently, "Ya ok there Ratchet?"

"Fine... he just kicked my funny circuit...ooh ow..." Ratchet replied, rubbing his numbed arm and watching Optimus kick at Ironhide, "I think he wants to go down..."

"What? But he's jus' a sparklin'! He ain't s'posed ta be walkin' yet!" Ironhide protested, keeping a firm grip on the red and blue mechling.

"Just put him down 'Hide," Ratchet chided gently, his voice soothing the now-distressed sparkling.

"Well, we're almost home now so 'e can wait." Ironhide replied firmly, readjusting the sparkling for the third time. Optimus just whined and kicked more in his adoptive Creator's grip.

* * *

"'Hide, put him down." Ratchet said again, leaning against the side with a cube of Energon in his hand. The red mech just grumbled, slowly kneeling and setting Optimus on his pedes, the mechling holding on to Ironhide's knee. That was when something incredible happened. Optimus, tiny little Optimus who was barely a vorn old, took his first step towards Ratchet. Both mechs stared at the sparkling, their optics wide in amazement. Ratchet quickly set his cube down and knelt, encouraging Optimus forward with a smile on his face.

"Come on then, Optimus, come here!" Ratchet coaxed, holding his arms out as if to hug his son. Poking his glossa out in severe concentration, Optimus took another shaky step forwards, wobbling on his little pedes as he stood. Ironhide, meanwhile, just watched dumbfounded as he then felt the smaller hand leave his knee.

"He's walkin'..." He said dumbly, watching as Optimus took yet another step. But then Optimus' pedes shook too much and gave out, sending the child to his hands and knees. Ratchet's first instinct was to dart forward and pick him up but when Optimus managed to push himself back onto his pedes, that instinct was quickly shot down. For several more steps Optimus managed to walk unsteadily before collapsing into his Guardian's arms, giggling happily at his accomplishment.

"Hey! Well done!" Ratchet praised as he swooped his child into his arms, swinging him around in delight. Optimus, blissfully oblivious to how big it was, just giggled and shrieked as he was swung around in the air. The sparkling could feel the air rushing around his frame, a sensation of flying he felt as well, and he just giggled more. Ironhide, however, just stood there struck dumb at what his kid had just done. Ratchet, seeing Ironhide's face, settled Optimus in his arms and turned to his mate.

"'Hide? You ok?" Ratchet said, chuckling softly when Optimus waved a little hand in front of Ironhide's face.

"Hm? Oh... yeah Ah _think _Ah'm ok... not too sure now he's jus' gone done tha'..." Ironhide replied, still staring in disbelief at the now-sleepy sparkling in his bondmate's arms.

"Well!" Ratchet laughed, patting his mate on the helm, "Better get used to the little one walking, 'Hide! He's gonna be doing that a lot now!" Ironhide just grumbled slightly and took the sparkling into his own arms, hoping desperately to get used to Optimus _and _to get the little one to trust him more. Optimus whined for Ratchet, reaching his arms out sleepily and yawning but Ironhide didn't give in; he cradled Optimus close to his spark, allowing the sparkling to reluctantly press his audio up against it. A steady rythmn filled Optimus' audios and he chirped as he came to remember this spark beat too, a similar one to Ratchet's. One with more fire in it. One that was a fierce but loving spark. His Guardian's spark. Optimus yawned, rubbing his optics absently as they started to slide closed, one hand gripping Ironhide's finger weakly and bringing it to his mouth to nibble on gently. Ironhide smiled down at the little sparkling nestled in his arms and cradled him closer, altering Optimus' position slightly to keep him as comfortable as possible, and retreated back to their quarters with Ratchet in tow.

It was then that Optimus made a little noise, one that went completely unnoticed by his new Guardians. His little piping voice so quiet that you could've heard a pin drop, so full of exhaustion from doing very little but also a lot. One noise spoken that was unrecognisable to other, older Cybertronians. Optimus, speaking in sparkling talk, said one very little word before falling into a deep and peaceful recharge in his red Guardian's arms.

"Da..."


End file.
